Screen Addict (Removal Guide) - 2021 update
Screen Addict Removal Guide
What is Screen Addict?
Screen Addict is a browser hijacker that shows dubious advertisements
Screen Addict is an objectionable browser add-on, which is compatible with Google Chrome browser only. Due to its unpleasant activities, it has been categorized as a potentially unwanted program (PUP). This software is rather suspicious and, instead of providing some useful features, it acts like a computer parasite.
No matter what it promises to provide:
- access to top streaming sites […]
- hottest movie trailers […]
- latest show reviews & interviews
- […] access to any movie genres you like
it does not function this way. Instead, it sets a new tab page on Chrome, which happens to be the Search.mysearch.com search engine. This search engine is a bogus one and you should never search via it. It was observed that this search engine continuously opens suspicious web pages and initiates intolerable redirects to random websites. Find out why this search engine functions this way and what should you do in order to solve these problems.
Screen Addict is a browser hijacker that promotes a dubious search engine. All the statements about movie trailers are just a smokescreen to conceal the real purpose of this program. This browser hijacker sets Search.MyWay search engine by default and inattentive computer users might start using it. You should not do so!
Screen Addict is a browser hijacker that shows ads and redirects you to dubious websites.
It was noticed that this search engine promotes affiliate links in a shady way. It conceals such links under its search outcomes, therefore, when the user clicks on such a modified search result, Screen Addict redirects him/her to a predetermined website. You should not rely on such a search engine; besides, do you think that websites that promote themselves in such a shady way are trustworthy? We highly doubt it.
Although we cannot claim that all websites related to this PUP are untrustworthy, keep in mind that some of them might attempt to talk you into downloading some potentially unwanted programs such as toolbars, add-ons, and so on. If you do not want to experience redirects to suspicious web sources, you should remove Screen Addict from your computer without a delay. You can do that with a help of an antivirus program, for instance, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes.
Also, you can find a detailed Screen Addict removal guide at the bottom of this article. Our tips can help remove the unwanted tool, but we recommend better using a security program designed for this purpose.
Browser hijackers can have official websites but are usually distributed in other ways
You can find a private Chrome Web Store link to install this particular redirect virus on this program’s official website. By the way, we have found several negative comments about this program by its users, and all they claim that this add-on is annoying and hard-to-remove.
However, users can also install this browser add-on without their knowledge. This parasite spreads alongside other untrustworthy apps disguised as a “recommended download.” Inattentive computer users, who tend to install programs using “recommended” settings (Default or Standard ones) risk installing this program without even noticing it.
For this reason, you must be careful when installing new software.
It is advisable to read the software’s Terms of Use and set Advanced or Custom settings. These settings usually provide a list of extra programs that can be installed alongside the primary program and then you can reject them. However, if PUP has already entered your computer unnoticed, you can remove it using a removal guide, which is given below.
Screen Addict removal guidelines
We have prepared an informative Screen Addict removal guide, which will help you to remove both the browser hijacker and Search.MyWay.com search engine. Make sure you carefully follow each step – it is not enough to clean your browser from this extension because your computer might be infected with other PUPs related to this tool.
In case you do not wish to waste time manually scanning your computer system and searching for doubtful programs, consider employing an antivirus program. It will help to remove Screen Addict quickly and safely. Also, remember to download applications only from trusted sources in the future and always use the advanced/custom installation method.
You may remove virus damage with a help of FortectIntego. SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner and Malwarebytes are recommended to detect potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.
Getting rid of Screen Addict. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
Browser hijacker removal from Windows computer is quite simple
Instructions for Windows 10/8 machines:
- Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
- From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
- Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
- If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
- Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK.
If you are Windows 7/XP user, proceed with the following instructions:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
- Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
- At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
- In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
- Click OK once the removal process is finished.
Delete from macOS
Delete PUP from MacOS by doing the following
Remove items from Applications folder:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
- Click on the app and drag it to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash)
To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
- In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
- Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files.
Remove from Microsoft Edge
Remember these instructions to remove PUP traces from Microsoft Edge
Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:
- Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
- From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
- Click on Uninstall at the bottom.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Privacy & security.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select everything (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.
Restore new tab and homepage settings:
- Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
- Then find On startup section.
- Click Disable if you found any suspicious domain.
Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:
- Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
- Select Details tab.
- Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.
If this solution failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method. Note that you need to backup your data before proceeding.
- Find the following folder on your computer: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\Packages\\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
- Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all folders.
- Right-click on them and pick Delete
- Now right-click on the Start button and pick Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- When the new window opens, copy and paste the following command, and then press Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\\AppXManifest.xml” -Verbose
Instructions for Chromium-based Edge
Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and site data:
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy, search and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.
Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- On the left side, pick Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Confirm with Reset.
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
To refresh Mozilla Firefox and bring the browser to its primary position, complete the following
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
- Select Add-ons.
- In here, select unwanted plugin and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Options.
- Under Home options, enter your preferred site that will open every time you newly open the Mozilla Firefox.
Clear cookies and site data:
- Click Menu and pick Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
- Click on Clear Data…
- Select Cookies and Site Data, as well as Cached Web Content and press Clear.
Reset Mozilla Firefox
If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
- Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.
- Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox…
- Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.
Remove from Google Chrome
If you want to use Chrome like before, perform these steps
Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
- Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
- In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all the suspicious plugins that might be related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
- Click on Menu and pick Settings.
- Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
- Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.
Change your homepage:
- Click menu and choose Settings.
- Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
- Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.
Reset Google Chrome:
If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
- Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.
Delete from Safari
Remove browser hijacker traces from Safari by using our instructions
Remove unwanted extensions from Safari:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- In the new window, pick Extensions.
- Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall.
Clear cookies and other website data from Safari:
- Click Safari > Clear History…
- From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
- Confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari if the above-mentioned steps did not help you:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- Go to Advanced tab.
- Tick the Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop, and then select Empty Caches.
After uninstalling this potentially unwanted program (PUP) and fixing each of your web browsers, we recommend you to scan your PC system with a reputable anti-spyware. This will help you to get rid of Screen Addict registry traces and will also identify related parasites or possible malware infections on your computer. For that you can use our top-rated malware remover: FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes.
How to prevent from getting browser hijacker
Choose a proper web browser and improve your safety with a VPN tool
Online spying has got momentum in recent years and people are getting more and more interested in how to protect their privacy online. One of the basic means to add a layer of security – choose the most private and secure web browser. Although web browsers can't grant full privacy protection and security, some of them are much better at sandboxing, HTTPS upgrading, active content blocking, tracking blocking, phishing protection, and similar privacy-oriented features. However, if you want true anonymity, we suggest you employ a powerful Private Internet Access VPN – it can encrypt all the traffic that comes and goes out of your computer, preventing tracking completely.
Lost your files? Use data recovery software
While some files located on any computer are replaceable or useless, others can be extremely valuable. Family photos, work documents, school projects – these are types of files that we don't want to lose. Unfortunately, there are many ways how unexpected data loss can occur: power cuts, Blue Screen of Death errors, hardware failures, crypto-malware attack, or even accidental deletion.
To ensure that all the files remain intact, you should prepare regular data backups. You can choose cloud-based or physical copies you could restore from later in case of a disaster. If your backups were lost as well or you never bothered to prepare any, Data Recovery Pro can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.